Cardiff & Exeter Student Accommodation

Following the successful completion of student accommodation blocks College Green in Bristol and Opal 1 in Newport, Shear Design were commissioned in 2011 as Civil and Structural Engineers for a further two student accommodation blocks.

Cardiff, Summit House
This 8 storey development is part refurbishment of the existing Summit House building and part new build at the rear of the refurbished block.
There is also an additional eighth floor constructed on top of the refurbished element.
The existing structure was strengthened to accommodate progressive collapse requirements.
The existing building is constructed from precast components and so following thorough intrusive investigations we designed strengthening and support to improve the building and to support the additional floor.
External staircases have been incorporated in the new build element for aesthetic and also structural stability reasons.

Exeter, Sidwell Street
The Exeter block is predominantly new build with some elements of the existing buildings retained.
The scheme is an infill development with a number of party wall and noise issues which required resolving. There were also elements of facade retention to be considered as well as some underpinning of existing structures and boundaries.
Contiguous piled walls were designed at the rear of the property to allow a continuous ground floor level.
The new structure is steel frame with composite steel and concrete floor slabs.